At Machakos Teachers Training College, learners from all walks of life are admitted regardless of their physical abilities. The College has embraced Kenyan Sign Language (KSL) in classrooms and other social spaces. In a learning environment where spoken language predominates, the incorporation of sign language interpretation in classrooms is boldly breaking communication barriers between learners and their educators, thus fostering a more equitable and inclusive learning experience. Students who are hearing impaired communicate with their hearing peers through signs. Even in their blended group discussions, they embody a rare sense of acceptance and collaboration.
Inclusion has been a sad song that has not tickled many learners with disability, despite the progress made through decades of learning. However, the introduction of Kenyan Sign Language at basic education levels in Kenya may help change the tune. A danceable move may follow efforts made by both state and non-state actors to support learners and workers to learn and use Kenyan Sign Language. It is a welcome move at Machakos TTC where hearing students and staff learn KSL every so often and tap on signs from the hearing-impaired students as well. It is worthy recognition of who can learn which language to bridge the silent gap of communication that is often evident between hearing and deaf populations.
Access to education in Kenya has historically been limited and the journey towards inclusivity has been rugged. Among the various strategies to foster an inclusive learning environment, sign language stands out as a powerful tool, particularly for students with hearing impairment. Through the Kenyan Sign Language, the students are not only able to communicate, but it also builds confidence among deaf students. It is the secret code to experiencing their otherwise silent world.
A peek into the second-year Mathematics class at Machakos TTC gave us a new lens through which to look at inclusion. In every corner of the class and at the centre, students were communicating in signs to help sign outspoken statements from their peers. When it came to demonstrating their understanding of the mixed fraction lesson, time and chance happened to all. First, it was Rose Nafula’s turn to show how best she would take a learner through a mixed fraction sum. She speaks and engages the rest of the class as Alice Wambui the assigned KSL interpreter signs along. When Nafula is done, Beston Kiprotich takes the stage. He is a signer. He takes on the sum while Wambui helps to voice his signs to the rest of the class. What a sight to behold! A world of signs and sounds toward a common answer.
The integration of Kenyan sign language and interpreters into Kenyan classrooms is a laudable step towards a more inclusive educational system. In a classroom where communication is accessible to all, students no longer feel isolated due to their hearing impairment. They can actively participate in discussions, contribute their ideas, and equally engage in class activities. In turn, this makes the classroom environment more equitable for everyone. Moreover, the act of learning sign language and interacting with interpreters promotes broader societal inclusion. It challenges the assumption that spoken language is the only way to communicate and encourages a culture of inclusivity.
Machakos TTC is one of the institutions that collaborate with Zizi Afrique Foundation (ZAF) to champion core competencies, also known as life skills and values. Other than supporting teacher educators at the college to define, integrate, nurture and assess the core competencies, Zizi Afrique Foundation has influenced the formation and strengthening of clubs to enhance the implementation of competency-based education. One such club is the Peace Club, where students have a platform to freely express themselves while respecting each other’s opinions and diverse backgrounds. Other efforts include talking walls, boards and seats, that constantly remind the school community about the desired values and life skills. The college has gone further to introduce the said values and life skills during students’ orientation. They practice the same as they go about their businesses within and without the college.
If there was any challenge I got from our trip to Machakos Teachers Training College, it is the challenge to learn and communicate in Kenyan Sign Language!
Erika Mungai
Article by Erika Mungai